DATE: November 11, 2007 15:13:16 PST
Document Number: 1662
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COSCO BUSAN OIL SPILL RESPONSE UPDATE
  

Cosco Busan Spill Response
Joint Command

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Press Release

Date: Nov. 11, 2007

Contact: Unified Command
Joint Information Center
(415) 398-9218
(415) 398-9621

COSCO BUSAN OIL SPILL RESPONSE UPDATE

The Unified Command for the Cosco Busan Oil Spill announced today that clean-up efforts have increased to more than 937 people.  Currently we have approximately 350 people conducting shoreline cleanup operations, with an estimated 350 additional personnel by Tuesday.


The following agency representatives were present during today's press conference on the status of the current operations:  Rear Adm. Craig Bone, Commander, 11th  Coast Guard District; Bevan Dufty, Acting Mayor, San Francisco; Phil Ginsburg, Mayorial Chief of Staff, San Francisco; Barry McFarland, The O'Briens Group, Incident Commander for Responsible Party; Steve Edinger, California Department of Fish and Game, State On Scene Commander; Capt. William Uberti, Federal Onscene Coordinator; Rudy Evenson, National Park Service; Laura Philips, Department of Emergency Services; Joanne Hayes-White, Fire Chief, San Francisco, Lisa Curtis, Administrator Department of Fish and Game, Office of Spill Prevention and Response.


The U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen will arrive this evening to meet with local and state officials, and to review the progress of the cleanup effort.
The National Transportation Safety Board has begun an independent investigation into the cause of the incident. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California is now engaged in a federal criminal investigation, which is fully supported by the Unified Command.
The public is urged to avoid areas and wildlife that are affected, as untrained people can cause further damage to the environment and stress on the wildlife. Concerned citizens should call 877-823-6926 to report any sightings of oiled wildlife.

The most recent information about the clean-up is as follows:

  • Seven miles of containment boom has been deployed to confine and collect oil in the water.
  • 10,752 gallons of oil has been collected. 
  • 937 people are involved in the response.
  • 59 vessels are working to remediate the spill.
  • Three helicopters are surveying the area.
  • The oil has spread to the north coastline of Stinson Beach and to the south coastline of Ocean Beach. Inside the bay, it has spread south to Hunter's Point and north to Richmond.  
For a list of closed beaches, please go to www.uscgsanfrancisco.com. A list of beaches where the public can assist in cleanup efforts without hazardous material training, can also be found at www.uscgsanfrancisco.com. A coordinator will be on-site to provide direction to the volunteers. Any volunteer who finds oiled material must report it to the coordinator on site.

For additional information please go to the following points of contact:
Baykeeper - www.baykeeper.org      City of San Francisco - Dial 311      Dept. of Fish and Game - www.dfg.ca.gov
A new number has been established for filing insurance claims. The new number is : 866-442-9650.

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  FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES VISIT www.owcn.org          TO REPORT OIL SIGHTINGS, CALL 985-781-0804          TO REPORT OILED WILDLIFE, CALL 877-823-6926

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